Trouble-making NKT cells

NKT cells are innate immune cells that express both NK and T cell markers, and are protective in many other models of autoimmune disease. The authors tested NKT function in K/BxN mice—an established model of rheumatoid arthritis. These mice spontaneously develop a progressive inflammatory disease that is caused by the deposition of autoantibodies in joints. Disease can be transferred to healthy recipient mice by injecting them with K/BxN serum.Kim et al. now show that mice lacking NKT cells develop only mild joint inflammation when given K/BxN serum. This protection was reversed if the deficient mice...